“And I tell you she’s gone to the devil,” returned the chief.

“What do you mean, Brandon?”

“Simply what I say; that infernal white ranger known as Rainbolt, rode right into camp—picked up your girl, and—”

“And what?” gasped the robber-captain with impatient rage and fury.

“And went—to—the—devil with her, as I told you before,” returned, with emphasis, the chief.

The robber-captain ground his teeth with rage, stamped his foot with fury, and swore a terrible oath.

“Come, come, Dungarvon! I am going—”

“Yes, yes!” returned Dungarvon, savagely, “you’re always going to do something. Just like as any way, the girl’s in California by this time.”

“Not a bit of it, Captain Duval,” returned Black Bear; “that girl is in these ‘Hills,’ and wherever Rainbolt is, she is, also; and I know he is not far away.”

“Well, how do you know?”